The number of international students enrolling in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) continues to grow, according to a recent enrollment report.

The International Student Admissions Office processed more than 5,000 international students during the first three quarters of the 2001-02 academic year and enrolled 4,520. Last year at this time, MCPS had enrolled 4,130 international students.
The total number of international students enrolled in MCPS as of March 28 was 17,830. They come from 162 countries.
Highlights of international student enrollment during the third quarter of FY 2002-03 include:

§ The International Student Admissions Office processed 1,165 international students and enrolled 968. The students represent 97 countries and speak 63 different languages.

§ The largest number of new enrollees included 92 from El Salvador, followed by 72 from Korea, 64 from the United States, 48 from Peru, 47 from China, 45 from India, 38 from Colombia, 31 from Argentina, 28 from Brazil, 27 from Chile, 26 from Mexico, 24 from Ethiopia, 21 from Bolivia, and 20 each from Guatemala and Japan.

§ By far the most commonly spoken language of newly enrolling international students is Spanish, with 380 students, followed by 114 new international students who speak English, 75 who speak Korean, 43 who speak Mandarin and 30 who speak Portuguese. During the third quarter, 380 students (39.3 percent) came from Spanish speaking countries, 272 (28.13 percent) came from Asian countries, and 120 (12.41 percent) came from African countries.

§ By cluster, Walter Johnson Cluster enrolled the highest number of international students during the third quarter (115), followed by Montgomery Blair with 92, Wheaton with 65, Quince Orchard with 56, Watkins Mill with 48, Seneca Valley with 46, and Richard Montgomery and Col. Zadok Magruder with 44 each. International students were enrolled in every cluster except Northwest and Poolesville. Other placements included 12 in special and alternative programs and 140 in Head Start and EEEP.

§ Distribution of enrollees by instruction level was 60.29 percent Head Start to fifth grade, 18.82 percent middle school, 20.27 percent high school and .62 percent special education.

§ Eleven incoming students, or 1.14 percent, had delayed, interrupted or no formal schooling.

§ A total of 804 of the students, or 83.14 percent, were referred for ESOL testing.